Waterworks-dam.



. 'PATENTED SEPT. 19, 1905.

W. L. CHURCH.

WATERWORKS DAM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 2. 1905.

[/2 vanion UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WATERWORKS-DAM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 19, 1905.

Application filed June 2, 1905- Serial No. 263,449.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM L. CHURCH, of Newton, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in VVaterworks- Dams, of which the followingis aspecification.

This invention relates to reservoir-dams for confining bodies of water to be supplied to the mains and pipes of waterworks, such dams requiring means for straining the water to separate therefrom floating matter the presence of which would be objectionable in the mains and pipes.

The invention has for its object to provide a dam of this character which shall include in one structure, preferably of reinforced concrete, all the elements required for straining the water and regulating its flow through the mains,to the end that a material saving in the cost of construction may be attained as compared with constructions now in common use, in which a structure separate from the dam is required for the accommodation of the strainers or screens, the gate-operating mechanism controlling the water-main, and the-intermediate clear-water space or chamber between the screens and the main, and usually with the addition of a bridge as a means of access to said structure.

The invention consists in the improvements which I will now proceed to describe and claim.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 represents a transverse vertical section of a dam embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a section on line 2 2 of Fig. 1 looking toward the right.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in both the figures.

In the drawings, 12 represents the deck of the dam, which, as here shown, has an inclined outer face extending from the crest or gpper portion of the deck to the heel of the 14 1e represent transverse buttresses or partitions supporting the deck between its end portions. Two of these buttresses form the ends of a clear-water chamber 15, the front of said chamber being formed by a vertical partition 16, extending from the deck to the base 17 of the dam. The deck is provided with an elongated opening 18, communicating with the clear-water chamber 15, said opening preferably extending entirely or substantially the full length of the chamber that is, from its higher front wall 16 to its lower rear wall 19, which is formed by the heel of the dam.

20 represents a screen frame, which is formed to cover a part of the opening 18 and is provided with one or more, preferably two, screens 21, of woven wire or other -suitable foraminous material.

22 22 represent a series of filling-pieces, which cover the portion of theopening not covered by the screen, the said pieces being preferably planks formed to extend across the opening and bear upon the face 13 of the deck at opposite sides of the opening, said planks being detachable from each other and from the deck and provided with weights 23, which prevent them from floating. The deck is provided with retaining members adapted to prevent displacement of the screen and of the filling-pieces in any direction in the plane of the deck, said retaining members being preferably wooden strips or beams 24 25, secured to the outer face of the deck and in position to abut against the ends of the screenframe and filling-pieces and against the lower edge of the lower filling-piece.

The screen is sufliciently weighted by the screen material and otherwise, if necessary, to prevent it from floating. The screen may be placed at any desired height on the opening 18. In Fig. 1 it is shown at the upper portion of the opening, all the filling-pieces being below it. If, however, it is desirable on account of ice, low water, &c. to locate the screen at a lower point, any desired number of the filling-pieces may be removed and placed above the screen, the latter being correspondingly moved downward.

27 represents a water main extending through the base of the wall16, its intake communicating with the clear-water chamber.

28 represents a gate in the main 27 in close proximity to the intake end of the main.

29 represents a front Vertical wall, which forms one side of a gate-house 30, located above the gate 28, the opposite wall of said gate-house being provided by the wall 16. The gate-house may be provided with a door 31 and with a fioor or platform 32, through which the stem 33 of the gate may extend, so that the hand-wheel 34 on said stem may be operated by a person standing on the platform.

The principal parts of the dam are preferably composed of concrete reinforced at suitable pointsby metal rods or bars 35.

It will be seen that I have included in one structure all the parts required for screening the water and for controlling its passage to the distributing system, instead of providing a separate structure for the screen, the clearwater chamber, and the gate-house or well, with a bridge for access to the same, as heretofore.

I claim- 1. A waterworks-dam having a screened opening in its deck, and a clear-water chamber below the deck, said chamber receiving water through said opening and communicating with a water-main.

2. A Waterworks-dam having an inclined deck provided with an elongated opening, a screen partially occupying said opening, filling-pieces occupying the remainder of the opening, said screen and filling-pieces being adjustable to vary the height of the screen, and a clear-water chamber communicating with said opening.

3. A Waterworks-dam having an inclined.

deck, and a clear-water chamber below the deck, the deck having an elongated opening communicating with the clear-water chamber, retaining members adjacent to said opening, and a screen and filling-pieces occupying said opening, and confined against lateral displacement by said retaining members.

4. A waterworks-dam having a screened opening in its deck, a clear-water chamber below the deck communicating with said opening, a gate-house adjacent to the said chamber, and a water-main constituting the outlet of the clear-water chamber and provided with a gate, and a gate-operating device located in the gate-house.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM L. CHURCH.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, E. BATOHELDER. 

